Back to December
by Danielle Salvatore
Summary: Elena fell asleep, dreaming of a boy with green eyes, a kind smile, and the look of love and devotion in his expression… Song fic to Back to December by Taylor Swift. Stelena with some Bamon. Future AU. Small spoilers.


Back to December

**A/N: Finally, I wrote a Vampire Diaries book story that doesn't have Bamon as the main focus. LOL I heard this song, and just thought it screamed Stelena. But it does have Bamon as a side pairing :)**

**Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, nor is the song.**

There was a soft knock at the door.

Elena slowly sat up from her place, lying across the bed, suspecting that it would be either Meredith or Bonnie and Damon coming to check on her, as usual.

Yes, even Damon still came once in a while. She knew that even if he was no longer in love with her, he still cared about her in his own way.

"Elena?"

She froze. The achingly familiar voice didn't belong to any of her friends, but….

"It's Stefan. Can I come in?"

It had been almost a year since the last time she saw him. Why had he chosen to come back today? And how had he found her?

But she was too excited and happy to think about it for long.

"Yes, of course, come in!" she yelled, quickly standing up, and running a brush through her long blonde hair.

She didn't want Stefan to see her like this. So messy and drained looking….

After cleaning herself up a bit, she walked out of the bedroom and down the small hallway, and saw Stefan, with his dear green eyes, and soft, kind smile, standing in the doorway.

"Stefan", she said softly. Her heart was beating at a rapid pace, and she hoped it wasn't too noticeable.

But she noticed that though he was smiling, there was a small hint of sadness in his eyes.

_I'm so glad you made time to see me.__  
><em>_How's life? Tell me how's your family__  
><em>_I haven't seen them in a while.__  
><em>_You've been good, busier than ever,__  
><em>_We small talk, work and the weather,__  
><em>_Your guard is up and I know why.__  
><em>_Because the last time you saw me__  
><em>_Is still burned in the back of your mind__  
><em>_You gave me roses and I left them there to die._

"Elena", Stefan repeated, seeming at loss of words as she was.

"Would…would you like to sit down?" Elena asked, pointing towards the small dining table.

Stefan nodded, and wordlessly sat down in one of the chairs.

Elena came over and sat in the one across from him.

For the first time in her life, Elena Gilbert was actually genuinely nervous around a boy.

Though Stefan smiled at her, she knew that all of his walls, and guards were up, and she knew it was because of her, because of what she'd done…

"So", Stefan said, looking around the small house. "This is the place you and Damon moved into?"

She thought she could hear a small hint of pain in his voice.

"Yes", Elena answered flatly. "But he doesn't live here anymore."

Stefan seemed surprised. "Why not?"

"He's with Bonnie."

_So this is me swallowing my pride__  
><em>_Standing in front of you saying, "I'm sorry for that night",__  
><em>_And I go back to December all the time.__  
><em>_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you.__  
><em>_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine__  
><em>_I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right__  
><em>_I go back to December all the time._

A year ago, Elena had made the horrible mistake of choosing Damon over Stefan. She could still remember the heartbroken look on his face, as she stood there and broke his heart.

But he hadn't said one ill thing about her, or even Damon. He had even wished him them both luck before he left Fell's Church, to go on his own way now that the town was finally at peace.

At first, everything seemed okay. But after a while, everything began to fall apart.

She and Damon didn't seem to have to bond she thought they did. Their conversations became rarer, and a lot of the time, they escalated into arguments.

And though Elena didn't admit it, her heart ached for Stefan. For his soft green eyes, his gentle touch, the way he would look at her…

Things got even worse when Bonnie came to visit, having finally planned to spend some time with her best friend before she had to go back to school.

She had planned on staying for a week, but ended up leaving after only three days, and Elena knew why.

It was because Bonnie was in love with Damon, and it pained her to see him with her best friend.

But from what Elena had seen over those days, the feelings were mutual on Damon's side too.

Damon bonded with Bonnie over those three days then he had with Elena the whole two months they had been "together".

They talked, he made her laugh, and she…..she even made him smile. Real genuine smiles, not smirks….

And on the nights they would all three sit around the dining table, Bonnie would talk to them excitedly about the college she was attending.

And Damon would take in her every word, and looked at her with such intensity….

Elena was surprised when she realized it: Damon looked at Bonnie the same way Stefan had looked at her.

_These days I haven't been sleeping__  
><em>_Staying up playing back myself leavin'__  
><em>_When your birthday passed and I didn't call.__  
><em>_And I think about summer, all the beautiful times,__  
><em>_I watched you laughing from the passenger side.__  
><em>_Realized that I loved you in the fall_

And then came the day Bonnie left.

She hugged them both, but Elena thought her hug with Damon lasted a bit longer than just a friendly, innocent one normally did.

After that, Damon got even more distant.

Elena knew it was because he missed Bonnie, even if he would never admit it. Just like she hadn't admitted how much she already missed Stefan, regretting her choice more and more as the days passed.

She really didn't see why she hadn't seen it before. After all, Damon had died for Bonnie once, and ever since the Celestial Court found a way to bring him bought, he and Bonnie still always seemed to have some sort of special bond between them.

At first, a part of her, the more selfish part, thought she should just ignore it. If she didn't get to be happy, why should Damon?

But luckily, the other part of her, the better one, knew something had to be done. Damon didn't belong with her. He loved Bonnie.

And Damon deserved to be with someone who would love him wholly and completely, which could never be her. Her heart still belonged to his brother.

But Elena knew Bonnie did love Damon in the way he deserved to be loved, and she always would.

Elena still remembered the day she told Damon that he needed to leave.

He had been sitting in the armchair, as she slowly approached him.

"You love her."

Elena knew Damon knew who she was talking about. It was obvious.

He said nothing to deny the claim, and she took that as a yes.

"You don't belong with me Damon. You should call Meredith. She probably knows where Bonnie is living. You could surprise her."

He sighed. "Elena…."

She knew then that he still cared about her. And she would always care about him. But both of their hearts belonged to different people.

"It's okay Damon. I….I made the mistake of leaving Stefan. But don't make the same mistake I made. Go after her."

They were both silent for a moment, just staring at each other, before Damon finally nodded, turning towards the kitchen, and pulling out his phone, no doubt following Elena's advice and getting ready to call Meredith.

She turned back towards the bedroom, but stopped when she heard Damon's voice.

"Elena?"

She turned back towards him. "Yes Damon?"

"Thank you."

She was a bit surprised. After all, Damon Salvatore had never been one to be polite.

"You're welcome."

He left an hour later, and Elena fell asleep, dreaming of a boy with green eyes, a kind smile, and the look of love and devotion in his expression….

The next day, Elena got a phone call from an apologetic Bonnie, thanking her for what she'd done.

But she didn't blame Bonnie, or Damon. She had put this on herself.

_And then the cold came, the dark days when fear crept into my mind__  
><em>_You gave me all your love and all I gave you was "Goodbye"_

"So Bonnie and Damon?" Stefan asked, after Elena had explained why Damon was no longer there.

She nodded. "I'm actually surprised I didn't see it coming a long time ago."

They were both silent for a moment.

"How are you?" Elena finally asked, seriously wanting to know.

Stefan shrugged. "I've been….okay. What about you?"

_Terrible, missing you_, Elena thought sadly.

But this wasn't what she said to him out load. Sometimes, her pride really got the better of her…

"I've been fine."

His eyebrows rose. "You're not upset about Damon?"

Elena shook her head. "No, I'm not actually. You'd think I would be but….I'm just not."

_Because Damon was never the one for me._

_So this is me swallowing my pride__  
><em>_Standing in front of you saying, "I'm sorry for that night".__  
><em>_And I go back to December all the time.__  
><em>_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you,__  
><em>_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine.__  
><em>_I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind__  
><em>_I go back to December all the time._

After that, they small talked. He asked her about Bonnie, Matt, and Meredith, and she explained about how Bonnie and Meredith had decided to go to the same university. Alaric had finally come back, and after he and Meredith worked out their problems, he officially proposed. They would be getting married in a year, after Meredith finished school.

Matt had gotten a sport scholarship, and would no doubt be doing more football in the future.

And Bonnie….well, Elena was pretty sure that her plans had changed. After she graduated, she would probably join Damon and let him turn her.

Elena though that everyone seemed to have a plan ahead of them, besides her.

Stefan cleared his throat. "Elena, it was nice seeing you again but….I should probably get going."

Elena's heart sank as she looked at the clock. An hour had passed, but it had only seemed like minutes. He was leaving already?

_I miss your tanned skin, your sweet smile, so good to me, so right__  
><em>_And how you held me in your arms that September night__  
><em>_The first time you ever saw me cry_

Slowly and hesitantly, Stefan kissed her on the forehead, and just like always, she felt a jolt rush through her.

"Goodbye Elena", he said softly, heading towards the door.

Elena was having an inner war with herself.

_Say something damn it! Do NOT just let him leave like that._

She sighed, and stood up. "Stefan, could you please wait?"

He didn't say anything, but turned back towards her.

_Maybe this is wishful thinking,__  
><em>_Probably mindless dreaming,__  
><em>_But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right_

Elena sucked in a deep breath. "Stefan I….I made a mistake. And I've regretted it pretty much the moment I did it."

He knew exactly what she was talking about. There was no need to clarify it.

"I….I love you Stefan, and being separated from you as long as I had only intensified it. And I'm not expecting you to take me back or to even forgive me but….I just want you to know how sorry I am before you leave."

Finally, she had made herself do it. She finally told him what he needed to hear, what she had been dying to tell him for the past year…

_I'd go back in time and change it but I can't.__  
><em>_So if the chain is on your door I understand.___

_But this is me swallowing my pride__  
><em>_Standing in front of you saying, "I'm sorry for that night"__  
><em>_And I go back to December...__  
><em>_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you,__  
><em>_Wishing I'd realize what I had when you were mine.__  
><em>_I'd go back to December, turn around and make it all right.__  
><em>_I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind_

Stefan looked surprised at first; as if he hadn't expected her to actually say that she didn't expect him to take her back. That she really only wanted to apologize, and to make sure he knew how much she loved him and how much she had regretted what she'd done.

Elena nodded. "That's….that's all. Thanks for visiting. It was so nice to…."

But she never got to finish, because slowly and gently, Stefan pressed his lips to hers, kissing her so sweetly that she was surprised to feel her knees beginning to give out.

Stefan must have noticed too, because he caught her, gently leaning her against him.

They didn't say anything for a while, and just getting lost in the feeling of being so close together after so long….

"I'm going to be better than I was before", Elena whispered against his chest. "You'll see."

She felt his lips in her hair, kissing her head.

"I know", he whispered.

**A/N: Yes, I couldn't help but give them a happy ending.**

**Reviews?**

**And just to let you know, I am working on the next chapter to Falling in Love through Shakespeare. Sorry for the delays. I'll explain why in the update.**


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